The Mischievous Dog is one of the popular Aesop’s fables for ESL students to enjoy learning English with. You can also watch its corresponding video tutorial or podcast inside this lesson to improve your reading comprehension, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Source of story: Gutenberg Project at www.gutenberg.org
Video of The Mischievous Dog
This Mischievous Dog
There was once a dog who used to snap at people and bite them without any provocation, and who was a great nuisance to every one who came to his master’s house.
So his master fastened a bell round his neck to warn people of his presence.
The dog was very proud of the bell, and strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction. But an old dog came up to him and said:
“The fewer airs you give yourself the better, my friend. You don’t think, do you, that your bell was given you as a reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a badge of disgrace.”
Notoriety is often mistaken for fame.
